Ken
Weller and Kevin Heggi hard at work relaxing on the porch at the hotel

Friday evening and caboose 81532 is looking good.
Ready to ride the rails once again with passengers from the MRHTS.

What's
this? At breakfast Saturday morning, we all noticed Steve Long's pickup
truck's bed is EMPTY! (Well sort of.) Must have clean it out in order to
bring home all his purchases at
the
swap
meet
Sunday?

Saturday Morning Excursion

Your engineer, George I Carpenter III, aka Casey
G3.

Left:
What do you mean, REAL TRAINMEN DID NOT WEAR PINK HATS! Webmaster Tom Kepshire
poses with his newest hat.

Right:
"Come on Max, think bigger. You , me and Kepshire together, beating
Frank in 2006 would be a lock. At least think about it."

Left:
"Nine Joints" Marquardt ponders what his next selection will be. Ronnie
Had A Little Goat was suggested, but he claims there is
no such song. People even tipped him.

Right:
The New "Monon 5" give their rendition of Up And
Down The Monon. They riveted the crowd with their rendition of the
song, or, maybe the crowd was looking at the deserts?

The Monon 5 finishing their tribute to the Monon. "I
suggest that next year the packet we receive contain ear plugs." -Warren
Mitchell- (Post convention side note: Warren will soon be appointed the
new Chairman of the Convention Musical Entertainment Committee.)

Left:
The performance was so good, Dan Seldin had to leave the room.

Right:
Who said that bad deeds and humor never go un rewarded? President Frank
Van Bree presents the First Annual National Spike Museum's Monon Man
Of The Year Award
to Webmaster Tom Kepshire and Acting Treasurer Max Foltz at the dinner.
Now we know where some of the stuff from Steve's pick up went. No expense
was spared. Are those smug looks, or what?

President Frank Van Bree introduces the Guest Speaker, Alfred
Popp.

Left:
After dinner, Alfred Popp entertains the guess with his experiences on
the southern end
section gangs of the Monon Railroad. He shared many stories of how well
the tracks were maintained. He also provided some "behind the scenes" information
on how things were really done back then. Cecil Smith from the Depot Museum
in Salem provided several track tools similar to those that Alfred had
used many times over the years.

Right:
After the dinner and guest speaker, Ken Weller entertained with his Power
Point
presentations.

Swap Meet & Clinics

Left:
Dealers set up their wares, including the Company Store. Right: A fully
stocked Company Store await shoppers.

Left
and Right: Ron "Nine
Joints" Marquardt conducts a clinic on Operating
Rules, or the care a feeding of goats. Whatever one, we hear from those
in attendance it was very informative and entertaining.

Right:
Lyle Key conducting a clinic on railroad photography.

Annual
Business Meeting

Left:
Okay you guys, who hide my beer?

Right:
"Come on people, let's sing Happy Birthday to Jim Davis."

Left:
Well, another Convention down. Are you looking forward to 2006?

Right:
Your humble Webmaster meets Pluto. He always wanted to thank the person
behind
many of his Frankie Monon pictures.